How to bring your car to Latvia

You cannot bring a right hand drive UK car here to Latvia. In all EU nations it is accepted but Latvia has a Russian government so ignore each and every EU law and still accept all grants. Roads are dangerous dust bowls so a good car will not last more than a month before springs need renewing. I brought Rover 75 ten years old good con. Six months allowed but from day one you are stopped by police. They simply will not register you car and can impound it for the crusher in Riga police dept. My advise sell it in UK buy a descent second hand car for far less than UK HERE. Believe me you will thank me later. I bought a tdi Renault in good condition but with two springs broken for around 1800 euro 12 month MOT and road taxed same period. Insurance from 56 Euro for it. Fuel cheap and so is food. Building materials same as UK in most cases. Labour far cheaper. Land from 300 euro per acre rural. Riga very expensive as rates so high and house prices too. Jobs pay average wage of 350 euro per month. Any other questions having been though the mill here building house, one can ask me anything that may help you. If you want an English car i have one for sale cheap as chips.

Hi there.

A very good reply.  I am moving to Riga in March and am driving my English across so I want to know about these issues.  Do you have any information about where I can buy a cheap second hand car?

Paul

Hi Paul my English car sits in garage unused. No one will by it so breaking a six year old  RHD  2liter RangeRover up is only hope to sell parts. I could spend 2000 euro on changing over the steering and lights then MOT and Government re plating but my pal dis all thsi and Government scrap before his eyes. Here cars are throw away. I picked up a car for 1200 euro new tyres Mot 11 months and goes like stink. Cheap to run old Cleo but who cares keep it by another when I have saved may be a Skoda Yeti . You see cars are cheap to tax insure and Mot. I pay 40 euro insurance  full cover. Mot 108 euro includes 34 euro road tax in the inspection. Fuel half what you are forced to pay in UK. Only problem is back roads are biblical and main roads no place near our high standards . Never want a new car  here just run them and buy as you need. One thing I will say if you live as I do in rural bliss buy a four track as mud is enemy and sand roads are full of stones .When it rains , not often, but it makes roads porridge. I have become used to driving here but took me two years to forget UK and so drive like native now. Kids drive old BMW cars some with no cover at all. If you live in the city this changes as roads are good but living costs rocket to almost UK price for land tax and rates. Rural I pay 45 euro pa for property tax and 12 for land tax. Drive to shop two miles or big town Limbaji around 12 miles one way. You can get almost anything there. Build materials are imported and same priced all over Europe and Uk. Brick and blocks made here bit cheaper. Food is cheaper but certain things like marmalade you have to make yourself. Butter is the best buy as around 60 pence a small block to Uk 1.80 a block when I left 6 years gone by. Lots of advantages here and few set backs just what you decide on Paul. We have many Brits in my area many with big houses and no mortgages. Renovation is slow work but build your own less expensive and quicker. I chose to renovate and almost done after six years as I cold afford each job. It is UK standards now with bathroom and shower and lovely big lounge and kitchens with bedrooms all done. Garden almost 4 acre landscaped but still in progress. Something to keep me occupied this summer making water falls. Been a learning curve severe but looking back anyone with half a brain like me could do this. It all in accounts comes to around 27k including car. Over to you now for your next question.

Hi,

I have bought a property on the north side of the lake just outside Riga. Needs upgrading, but it has it's own water and has a large wood burning stove. I am retired now at the age of 63. I will be coming here with my Latvian partner who owns a number of flats in Riga. We will live in a small apartment while we are upgrading the dacha.  The location is ideal. Close to the lake and sea and only about 20 minutes drive from the city.

Do you have a local driving licence? How do you heat your home? Did you manage to get a residence number easily? The issue for me is that I am diabetic and need a regular supply of insulin.

Paul

What are you on about Russians Still Run it !!!???

Half of Russia drives Japanese Right Hand cars.

Anybody born outside Latvia during the USSR era and taken to Latvia after 1939 have an Alien's Passport ( a Latvian's resident, but not a citizen of any country ), except if your relatives lived/moved to Latvia before 1939.

Anybody who was born in Latvia after 1939 and had no relatives residing in Latvia before 1939 is an Alien.

Only children born in Latvia after 1992 to any parents are citizens.

A child born to one citizen parent can apply for citizenship.

People who were born in Latvia and reached 18 years of age by the 1998 could take History and Language exams and apply for citizenship ( NOT A CHANCE BEFORE 1998 ).

Between 18-25 from 1999.

25 - 40 from 2000.

40 and more from 2001.

From 2002 anybody could apply who lived in Latvia and wasn't born there nor had relatives residing before 1939.

When USSR collapsed Russia offered citizenship to every resident of EX USSR.

Anti Russian propaganda is very strong in Latvia.

Streets get changed, schools get shut down.

Those people with Alien's passports CAN NOT VOTE.

It's a pure DISCRIMINATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS!

If you hold a Latvian drivers licence and drive a foreign car YOU HAVE TO PAY 14 eur PER DAY!

I drove it in Mongolia, Kazahstan, Russia, whole Europe and have to pay in Latvia.

It's a piss take. They aren't Russians mate. They are animals ( regardless to their origin ).